Joint especially for railway cars and similar vehicle bodies



ATZURNEY 9 0 M.. .m, 6 uw .EN S 2 .h e h S D 2 N A S R A C S Ym A D w O RR B EAE TR L T C A m. wFw Y R A M L I M I S JOINT ESPECIALL Filed OGL 6 1948 SS S ANPI@ MW,

Aug. 28, 1951 WATTER Y JOINT ESPECIALLY FOR RAILWAY CARS AND SIMILAR VEHICLE BODIES 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Oct. 6, 1948 JP ICJ 9 A INVENTOR I Michael Wqfer' BYl/u'a h@ ATTORNEY mumluillllllllllllll` Patented Aug. 28, 1951' JOINT ESPECIALLY FOR RAILWAY CARS AND SIMILAR VEHICLE BODIES Michael Watter, Philadelphia, Pa., assgnor to The Budd Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania ApplicationvOctober 6, 1948, Serial No. 53,018

(Cl. S-397) 14 Claims. l

This is a continuation-n-part of the inventors abandoned application Serial No. 573,298, filed January 17, 1945, for Fabricated Structure.

The invention relates to a joint between adjoining structures of railway car and similar vehicle bodies. More specically, the invention relates to a final-assembly connection between a preassembled bottom or underframe unit and preassembled side Wall units of such bodies. The invention also relates to brackets or gussets adapted specifically for use in the aforesaid type of joint.

Among the objects of the invention is a finalassembly connection between the bottom unit and the side wall units of railway cars and the like, which is strong and durable, which'rigidly .holds the units together, which can be made without requiring tools reaching from the inside to the outside of the body, which relieves considerably temporary crowding and ensuing mutual interference of the men simultaneously at work in the interior of a car, which can be speedily made thereby reducing the length of the assembly line and permitting earlier start on completion of the body interior, which is simple and relatively inexpensive in regard to the parts entering into it as Well as in regard to the procedure of connecting the parts with each other, which affords a high degree of accuracy of the dimensions of the body, which takes care of minor dimensional variations of the units and parts entering into it, which allows the units to be equipped before their final assembly, at least in part, with insulation, accessories, trim, etc., and which can be applied to constructions now in production without'extensive changes.

These briefly outlined objects of the invention as well as other advantages and the means for l achieving them are fully set forth in the following description of the embodiments of the invention which are illustrated in the attached drawing.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary, partly sectional, perspective view of the underframe unit of a railway car and of adjoining portions of the side wall units;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view, on a larger scale, of the portion shown in the lefthand corner of Figure l, and a phantom view of the side wall unit before its connection with the underframe unit;

Figure 3 is an inside elevation and a vertical longitudinal section along line 3 3 of Figure 4 of the adjoining portions of side wall and underframe unit:

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section through the connection between side wall unit and underframe unit, the section being taken along line 4--4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 isa fragmentary horizontal section along line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the brackets entering into the connection illustrated in the preceding figures;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the two members forming the bracket shown in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a perspective view, similar to but on a smaller scale than Figure 2, of a second embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary inside elevation and vertical longitudinal section, similar to but on a smaller scale than Figure 3, of a third embodiment of the invention.

The railway car body fragmentarily illustrated in Figures 1 to 7 comprises an underframe or bottom unit U and a pair of side wall units S. The parts of the body which are not shown in the drawing, that is, the upper parts of the side wall units, the roof, the end walls, the end portions, bolsters and cross bearers of the underframe, etc., may be of any known or otherwise appropriate construction. The illustrated structure belongs to a body in which underframe, side walls and roof together constitute a closed box-sectional girder.

The underframe or bottom unit U has a horizontal shear panel structure I0 which extends over substantially the entire width and at least a large portion of the length of the car, is secured to a center sill II, and is reinforced over its entire width by transverse webs I2 which are spaced from each other in longitudinal direction. The margin of panel I0 and the ends of webs I2 on each side of the car fit telescopingly between the upper wall I3 and the lower wall I4 of an inwardly facing channel-section portion of a side sill I5 and are secured to these walls. Each sill I5 has a vertically arranged bottom wall or web I6 and downwardly and inwardly directed web or flange extensions I'I, I8. The tops of webs I2 are interconnected by longitudinal stringers I9 which, after iinal assembly, are supplemented by marginal sections 29 and, together with the latter, carry the floor boards 2|.

Each side wall unit S has longitudinally spaced upright posts 22 provided with outer and inner longitudinally extending wall portions, arms. or flanges 23, 24. A Z-section sill 25 has its one upwardly extending arm 26 secured to the inner surface of the inner flanges 24 of the posts, its

3 horizontally arranged web 21 arranged underneath the ends of the posts, and its downwardly projecting arm 28 arranged with its outer surface in the plane of the outer surface of the outer walls 23 of the posts. A continuous gusset plate 29 extends between and is overlappingly secured to the outer walls j23 of the posts and arm 28`o` the side sill. A shear panel 30 extends gusset plate 29 upwardly and is structurally connected to the outsides of the posts and to a belt rail structure (not shown) interconnecting the posts.

In final assembly, web 2 and arm 28 of sill 25 of each side unit S are nestingly fitted.. over walls I3 and I6 of sills i5 of the underframe unit U.

The general construction of the underframe unit and of the side wall units and their relative arrangement upon nal assembly, as described` so far, are known. The novel changes in thereonstruction of the units and the changes in the iinal assembly of the units with each other. which represent the invention, will now be described;

Aspart of the iinalV assembly means of underframe unit U and side wall units.S,.each underframe sill l5 has its lower horizontall wall I4 connected with one arm 3.1y of an angle-section prole or rail whose other arm 32 depends downwardly` and has its outer surface arranged in. the same plane as the outer surface of wall i5 of the sill. In nal assembly of each sidewall unit S andunderframe unit U, arm 32 is overlapped by the margins of sill arm 28 and'gusset plate 29 of the side wall unit. and is-convenientlyy connected with them by spot welding or riveting. The overlapping arm and margins are accessible exclusively from the outsideof thecar and present no obstacles toshort-throated two-jawed or pincer.-

typetools, such as welding orl riveting guns.

As distinguished from known constructions, arm 2 8 and gusset plate 33 are extended downwardly beyondthe channel-sectionportion i3, Hi, .1:3

between the underiramef unit U and the side wall units S,Vthe underframe unit is provided with. brackets-34 and gussets 35 at longitudinal inter-Y vals, These# connecting means are preferably ar,- ranged-in the regions of side wall posts 22.. EachI bracket/,34r4 is in the form of a shallow box having` a bottom wall 35 and sidewalls-3l; and $8-, thel lattermerging into each other andV presenting aclosed--fig-ure frame.

of bottom wallV and it projects beyondY one ot' the side-walls 38- of bracket 34; The structuresformed of bracket 34. andv gussetv35 are arranged betweentwo successive'webs I2 of floor pan l-llso Asanother part of the nall connecting means.

Gusset plate 35 is securedv by spot welding-or otherwise to theouter surface:

for spot welders or the like. assembled brackets and gusset plates 3s, 35 alsov thatv bottom wall 3G-and gussetplate 35- extendf 'Y vertically andi in the longitudinally direction of the car. Walls 31 of thev brackets are secured, preferably byv spot welding, to the adjoining webs l2. Brackets 34' and gussets 35u-are so located that in final assembly of underframe' unit U and side wall units S the outer surface ofV gusset plate 35 overlaps with its projecting portion the inner arm 2-6 of sill 25 of the side unit. The projecting portion of gusset 35 may be reinforced by a weldedon reinforcing plate 39.

In final assembly, the gusset plates 35 of the underframe unit are secured to arms 25 of the side sillsV 25 by plug welds lMithrough holes in plates 35, 39a Howevenother connectingmeans may be employed, provided they do not require tools reaching across the side wall from the interior to the exterior of the car. For instance, plates 35l and arms-26 may be connected by spot welding which requires merely a welding tool reaching around thevtop of arm 25. Plug welds or similar connecting means are preferable inasmuch as they permitvequipping the side wall with accessories, insulation, trim, etc., which would impede or prevent welding tools from reaching the outer surface of arm 26.

The angle-section proles Si, S2 and the brackets and. gussets 3ft, 35 are connected with the underframe unit before final assembly of. the latter with the side wall units, thatV is, ata stage when all connecting points are easily accessible However, theY premay be installed in the underframe unit after the latter has 'been brought together with the side wall units. l bracket walls 3.7 and the webs I2. of the floorV remain accessible'and the installation lat this stage has the advantage that the gusset plates can be fitted against arm 25 of the side Wall sill.

After the described inner andouter connections between underframev u'nitsr and side wall 1 units arecompletedmuter and inner trim cover-- ingv the assembly joints is added. On the in.- side the baseboardprofiles 20. and the outer portions of the iloor member Marel installed;` the central floor boardl portion may have been` in,V stalled at an earlier stage. On the outside, the car maybe covered with known iiuted panelingsl t, rub rails 4'2- and skirtmoldings 43 (Figurel) 'Ihe rigidity of connection between the side walls, particulariy the posts, a-nd the underframe as afforded by the new desigrrpermits the maintenance of great accuracy in regard to the.. relative position of these units.

as bench assemblies and prefabricatedsubassemblies without a considerable amount of hand f1tting.

'Ihe fact that in the new design the inner Ydnal assembly joints are made quickly and vwithout resortv to. large weldingY tools within the car, makes it possibleI tov begin thel trim and interior installations much nearer Ithe beginningof. .the assembly linethanin previous constructions. It evenV permits of other workv to be done in the.Y

car while the inner joints are being made.

The good accessibility of the bracket andgusset connecting mea-ns for smalltcols perm-its. the

Y equipment of the underirameor floor unit withl at least alargepart of the-insulation, floorv covering, floor-mounted seats, tables and counters..

IThough far-reaching in their eff-ect, the changes ofthe new design over similar known designs are vsmall in terms of the number of' partsY tol bei added or the'- extent to` which lpreviously';usedigparts have to be modied. This greatly facilig tatesA the adaptation of the' new design' without interruptionv o production"andifwithout extensive changes or additionsof manufacturing equipment.

The connecting points between "the In other words,l the new jontassures verticality of theside walls. This accuracy in turn permits installationof in-l terior partitions, equipment,.trim panels, etc.,

While the brackets 34 may be one-piece structures, there are advantages in making each of them of two pieces so as to take care of variations in spacing between the floor panel webs I2 and so as to facilitate the installation of the brackets.V

The adjustable bracket, most clearly shown in Figure 6, comprises two basically identicalparts 44, 44. One of the parts 44 is separately shown in Figure 7. Should special fitting conditions require slight alterations in one or both of the parts, they would still be essentially identical. Each part 44 comprises a bottom wall portion 45, side wall portions 46 and 41, and an end wall 31.

The bottom wall portion 44' is notched at 48 from the end and on one side is provided with a strengthening flange 49 which dies away in a curved rear end at the end of the notch. The notch divides the bottom wall into bifurcations 50, 5| and these furcations are disposed in different planes. The furcation 59 is offset inwardly relative to the plane of the remainder of portion 45 at a joggle 52 by a distance equal to the thickness of the metal stock. Furcation 5| lies in the plane of bottom portion 45. One of the side walls or flanges, 46 here, is olset by the thickness of the stock by a joggle 53 which is a continuation of the joggle 52.

When two mating identical bracket parts 44 are assembled, the furcations are arranged in staggered overlapping relationship, the furcation 50 of each part overlying the furcation 5| of the other part on both sides of the notches. Also the straight side 4'! of one part ts with the 01T- set side 46 of the other part. Thus, the two parts together present smooth exterior surfaces on all sides and will t smooth surfaces of structural parts without tilting and without the necessity for using filler plates. When applied to the Structure per Figures 1 to 5, the smooth bottom wall 36 of bracket 34, formed by wall portions 45, presents a smooth supporting surface for gusset plate 35. Similarly, the horizontal walls 38, formed by wall portions 46, 41, present smooth surfaces for contact with floor panel I8 or other parts.

The bracket is very strong but withal very light. The bracket is adjustable for a considerable length variation, but in large production it will be usual to make the brackets of a denite size for definite locations. If the dimensions of structural members Vary as the distance between webs l2, the brackets may be adjusted to t. If the structural parts do not vary, the bracket parts may be assembled and connected together as in a jig and later assembled with the structure. The identical form of the bracket parts and the adjustability of the length of the brackets requires one single set of dies only, thus reducing manufacturing costs and making any part of a lot available for use with any other part.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 8, spaced back-adjacent channel members 54, 55 and an outer plate 56 form a channel-section side sill. This sill is connected to horizontal channel members or floor pans 51. A Vertical frame member or post 58 is also connected in the assembly and a at plate 59 is attached to one arm of the sill channel member 54 and to post 58. A gusset plate 66 is attached to plate 59, preferably at the post location, and extends down into the open space of a channel member 51.

An adjustable bracket 6l, of similar design as bracket 34 shown in Figures 1 to 7, is brought toY the required length and inserted in the space of the channel 51, the lower and vertical sides smoothly tting bottom and sides of channel member 51 and the bottom of the bracket fitting smoothly against gusset plate 60. The parts are secured together at all points of plane contact by any suitable means, as by welding indicated at 62.

The structure shown in Figure 8 also may be composed of two preassembled units, one unit including channel 55, floor pans 51, and preferably, gussets and brackets 6l, 62, and the other unit including channel 54, plates 56 and 59, and posts 58. In final assembly, lower margin of plate 56 is welded to outer arm of channel 55 and plate 59 is connected by gussets and brackets 6D, 6| to the oor pans 51 in the manner described for the design per Figures 1 to 7.

In Figure 9 a bracket 63 of the same type as before is used, but it is indented on the sides in the middle to span strengthening members or ridges 64 which are provided in the bottoms of the transverse channel members 65. The bottom of bracket 63 still presents a smooth surface throughout and the ends of the sides lie in a common surface in spite of the fact that the center of the sides is indented. When the meeting ends of the sides are indented, the side joggle, as such, may be omitted, the same eifect being produced by having one side wall set in more than the other. 'Ihe construction being otherwise the same, the parts of Figure 9 are designated by the same reference numerals as in Figure 8 and their description is not repeated. Note, however, the provision of two brackets and gussets at the location of one post.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown and described and that various modications and refinements may be employed in practice without departing from the spirit of the invention. In describing the illustrated embodiments, several modifications are pointed out, for instance the one-piece formation of the brackets, and .the installation of gussets and brackets during the nal assembly instead of during the preassembling of the underframe unit.

What is claimed is:

1. In an underframe unit for a railway car or similar vehicle body; a floor panel reinforced by a plurality of longitudinally spaced transverse upright webs; an open-box bracket having a bottom wall and side walls all around the margins and on one side of said bottom wall; said bottom wall extending vertically to the oor panel at a distance from a side margin thereof between two successive webs and two of said side walls overlapping the two webs; a structural connection between said two overlapping side walls and webs; and a gusset plate overlapping secured to said bottom wall on the side opposite said side walls and projecting upwardly beyond said bottom Wall; the upwardly` projecting por-v tion of the gusset plate providing final assembly means between the underframe unit and the in ner surface of a body side wall arranged on top of said webs.

2. In an underframe unit for a railway car or similar vehicle body; a structural i'ioor panel extending over the width of the body; a plurality of longitudinally spaced transverse upright webs reinforcing said floor panel; a bracket in the form of an open box having a bottom wall and side walls, said side walls forming a closed-:figure frame and extending toward one side from said lbottom Wall; said bracket having its bottom wall' ttedbetween two successive webs adjacent one .longitudinal side margin of said panel so that said bottom wall is located above land extends vertically' to the 'licor panel and in 'the longitudinal direction of the body kso that said side walls extend away from said side margin of the panel, and so that two opposite side walls overlap said twoA webs to which they are secured; and a gusset plate overlappingly secured to said bottom wall on the side opposite said side walls and projecting upwardly beyond said bottom wall, the upwardly projecting portion of 'the gusset plate presenting itself for .overlapping securement to the inside of a body side wall as part of the final assembly of body Iside wall with the underframe unit.

3. Underframe unit for a railway car or similarivehicle body, comprising: a structural Afloor panel extending over the width and a large part of the length of the body; a plurality of longitudinally spaced transverse upright webs extending over the width of and reinforcing said floor panel; a plurality of brackets, each in the form of an open box having a bottom wall and mar-- yginal walls which present a closed-figure frame and extend toward one side of said bottom wall', said brackets having their bottom walls tted between pairs of succesive webs adjacent the :longitudinal side margins of said panel so that said bottom walls extend vertically to the door panel and in the longitudinal direction of the bodyand so that opposite marginal walls overlap the respective webs to which they are secured; and a gusset plate overlappingly secured to each of said bottoni walls on the side opposite saidimarginal walls and projecting upwardly beyond the webs; the upwardly projecting portions of the gusset plates being arranged for overlapping final-assembly securement to the inside of Vbody side walls.

4. Structural floor panel for a railway car Vor similar vehicle body reinforced by a plurality of spaced upright webs; a bracket having a wall and anges along two opposite margins of said wall; said wall extending vertically to the ricci: panel between two successive webs and said flanges overlapping the two webs; a structural connection between said flanges and said two webs; and a gusset plate overlappingly secured to said wall and projecting upwardly beyond said webs, the upwardly projecting portion of the gusset plate providing assembly means between said floor panel with its webs and an adjoining upright structure of the body.

v5. In a body of elongated prismatic shape for i railway cars and similar land vehicles, incorporating a preassembled underframe unit and preassembled side wall units; said underframe unit comprising side sills each having vertically spaced horizontal upper and lower walls and an upright web interconnecting the outer margins of said horizontalwalls, a pair of angle sections, each angle section having a horizontal arm connected with the lower wall of one of said sills and its other arm extended downwardly and arranged bottom sills being Swider than said webs of said side sillsl thereby :overlapping with their.. lower margins .the downwardly `extended arms ofthe angle 'sections on the outsides; and inal assembly 'means interconnecting said margins andwsaid last-named arms, the construction permitting application of said assembly means from the-outside of 'the body by -tools gripping the overlapping margins -rand arms between them.

A43( In a railway car or similar vehicle body, comprising an underframe -uni-t and side lwall units; said underfrai-ne unit including a horizontalshear panel reinforced by a plurality of webs `which are longitudinally spaced from each other and arranged in upright transverse planes each of said side wall units including longitudinally spaced upright posts having their lower ends interconnected on the inside by an upright longitudinally extending plate; said underframe unit also including a plurality of brackets and gusset-'plates-arranged close to and distributed along the length'of the side margins of the underfrarne unit, each of said Abrackets havinga wal-l extending between vtwo successive webs in -a'longitudinal upright plane landY arms on the upright margins fof said wail arranged in transverse upright planes, said arms overlapping and being secured to the respectivefwebs, -each gusset plate lbeing overlappingly secured to said-wall of one of the brackets and projecting upwardly therebeyond; said brackets and lgusset plates being arranged 'so that the outwardly Vfacing sides of the gusset plates overlappingly enga-ge the inwardly facing surf-aces cf said plates ci the side wall units rand are secured thereto in iinalassem` bly of the underframe with the side wall units.

7. In a railway car'or similar vehicle body; ran underfra'me unit liavin'g a horizontal shear panel extending over thewid-th of the car and rein-- forced-by transverse upright'webs which are longitudinally spaced from each other, the marginal portions of the panel and the ends oi the webs extending into and being secured in the interior vof inwardly facing -ll-section side sills lof the underfrfame unit, two angle-section rails, each rail irayinglzone .in'walrdlj,7 #extending horizontal arm securedto the lcwerarm of one of the yU -secticn side sills and the other arm extended downwardly and arranged in the plane of the vertical web ci' the U-eecticn, a `plurality of inner gusset plates extending' ctween and overlappin-glyf-secured at lon'gitudiiiai intervalsto each two adjacentwebs of the under-frame by transversely and vertically extending arms; a pair of side wall units, one on each Aside of 'the body, each side wall unit comprising longitudinally spaced vertical posts interconnected at their lower ends by a Z- section bottom sill, said VZ-sectionsill having its vone arm overiappingly secured to the inside of the pests, its webarranged `horizontally underneath f the ends of the .posts and its other `arm extended downwardly' and arranged in the plane of the Ycuter surface the posts, the posts of leach side wall unit being rmere interconnected on the outside by an outer gusset plate which extends downwardly beyond the posts and is overlappingly secured vto the downwardly extending arm -cf-said Z-se'ctic'ns-ill; said underframe unit side wall' units being rigidly connected with eac-'n other in iinal assembly by means securing the `upwardly projecting portions of the inner gusset plates tothe insides of the upwardly projecting arms of the Z-sec'tion'side sills and by means securing the vdownwardly vextending 4arms of .the yangle-section rails of the lundcrframe to the lower margins of the outer gusset plate'sand 9 to the downwardly extending arms of the Z-sections.

8. In a railway car or similar vehicle body; an underframe unit having a horizontal shear panel extending over the width of the car and reinforced by transverse upright webs which are longitudinally spaced from each other, two anglesections, one along each side margin of the underframe unit, each section having one inwardly extending horizontal arm secured underneath said shear panel and its other arm extended downwardly, a plurality of inner gusset plates arranged at longitudinal intervals between each two adjacent webs of the underframe unit and secured by transversely and vertically extending arms to such webs; two side wall units, each comprising longitudinally spaced vertical posts and interconnected by an outer plate which extends downwardly beyond the posts; said underframe unit and side wall units being rigidly secured to each other in :final assembly by means connecting the upwardly projecting portions of said inner gusset plates to the insides of the side wall units at the post locations and by means connecting the downwardly extended arms of the angle sections of the underframe unit to the downwardly extending portions of the outer plates of the side wall units.

9. In a body of elongated prismatic shape for railway cars and similar land vehicles, incorporating a preassembled underframe unit and a preassembled side wall unit; said underframe unit comprising a side sill having a horizontal inwardly extending lower wall, an upright wall along the outer margin of said horizontal wall and a flange extended downwardly beyond said lower wall and arranged with its outer surface in the plane of the outer surface of said outer walls; a bottom sill structure along the lower margin of the side wall unit having on its outside a web extending downwardly beyond the inner part of the unit; the downwardly extended portion of said web overlapping said upright wall and with its lower margin said flange; a first set of nal assembly means interconnecting said web and said flange, and being of the type made by twojawed tools gripping between their jaws said flange and the margin of said web; and a second set of final assembly means interconnecting said web to said upright wall and being of the type, like plug welds, made by a tool arranged exclusively on the outside of said web.

10. In a body of elongated prismatic shape for railway cars and similar land vehicles, in corporating a preassembled underframe unit and a preassembled side wall unit; said underframe unit having a stress-transmitting floor structure and a flange which extends along a side margin of the floor structure downwardly beyond the underside of the latter; said side wall unit comprising longitudinally spaced upright posts interconnected at the bottom by a sill and a gusset plate, said sill having a horizontal inwardly directed first arm arranged under the lower ends of said posts and a second arm projecting downwardly from the outer margin of the first arm in the plane of the outer surface of the posts, said gusset plate overlapping the outside of the posts and the second arm of said sill; upon nal assembly of said units said side wall unit fitting with its said arms over the longitudinal top edge of the underframe unit, said second arm and said gusset plate both being of such width below said rst arm as to overlap said flange of the underframe unit with their lower margins, both sides of said overlapping margins and of said fiange being accessible from the outside of the body to pincer-type connecting tools like electric spot Welders, and means connecting the overlapping margins and flange made by such tools.

11. An adjustable bracket comprising a pair of identical one-piece members; each of said members having a wall bifurcated by the provision of a narrow slot emanating from one of the margins of the wall and extending part-way to the opposite margin, one of the furcations of each member being offset, at least in its outer region, by the wall thickness in the direction transversely to the plane of the wall while the other furcation is not offset; said two members having their furcations overlappingly secured to each other so that the non-offset furcation is received by the recessed surface of the oifset furcation with the result that one surface of the bracket offers a plane attachment surface for an adjoining planesurfaced member such as a gusset plate.

12. A one-piece member for forming a bracket together with a second identical one-piece member, said member having a wall bifurcated by the provision of a narrow slot emanating from one of the margins of the wall and extending partway to the opposite margin, one of the furcations being offset, at least in its outer region, by the thickness of the stock of which it is formed and in the direction tranversely to the plane of the wall while the other furcation is not offset, two of said members being adapted for having their furcations overlappingly secured to each other so that the non-offset furcations are received by the recessed surfaces of the offset furcations with the result that one surface of a bracket composed of two members offers a plane attachment surface for an adjoining member.

13. An adjustable bracket composed of identical one-piece members, each of said members having a bottom wall and marginal ywalls extending toward one side of the bottom wall, said bottom wall being bifurcated by a slot emanating from one edge of the member, only one of said furcations having at least its outer end offset with respect to the remainder of the bottom wall toward the same side toward which said marginal walls extend, the amount of the offset being equal to the thickness of the stock of which the member is formed, said members having their furcations overlappingly secured to each other in such a manner that each member has its non-offset furcation received in the recess formed by the offset furcation of the other member, so that the marginal walls of the two members extend in the same direction, and so that the bottom walls present a substantially plane surface on the side facing away from the marginal walls which surface is adapted for the attachment of a flat-surfaced adjoining member such as a gusset plate.

14. A one-piece member for forming an adjustable bracket together with a second identical one-piece member, said member having a bottom wall and marginal walls extending at least along two opposite edges and toward one side of the bottom wall, said bottom wall being bifurcated by a slot emanating from one edge of the member between said two opposite edges, one of said furcations having at least its outer end oilset with respect to the remainder of the :bottom wall in the same direction in which said marginal walls extend, and the portion of the marginal wall adjoining the offset furcation also being offset toward the opposite marginal wall,

1l the. amount of both.v offsets being equal to the thickness of the stock of which the member is formed, twot of said members being adapted for having their furcations and marginal Wallys overlappingly secured to each other insuch etinanf ner that the non-offset furcation and Wall of one member are received the recesses formed by the. offset. furcatonand marginaly Wall portion of the other member. MICHAELv -WATTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following: references are Aof record in; the Heof this patent:

Number Lesern 11371796" 12 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1- Su-lflivan et a1; Mar. IT, 1914 Kenney Aug. 16;.-1932 Howard Man?, 1933 Blackhall et a1 June. 20,'1933 Marks June 22,1937 Blest et a1 Junev 141938 Magruder Get-17', 1944 Dean Jan. 9S, 19415 

